American Sandwich Bread

I have a fair amount of experience making bread now, but my success with any recipe involving yeast never fails to amaze me. I think it is just so cool to make dough, see it rise, etc. I’ve made a lot of great bread recipes but had only made one white bread recipe and was just not crazy about it. When I saw that my good friend Chelle had made this fantastic white bread recipe, and that she recommended it over the other two she has tried, I was sold. I must say, this bread really delivered. It really is a wonderful homemade sandwich bread. One of my major gripes about other loaves I have made in the past is that, while delicious, they do not have the height that I am looking for in a sandwich bread. However, this loaf has great height. The dough was just beautiful to work with and it rose easily. I also appreciate how quick the whole process was. I started in the morning and before lunch we had fresh bread for sandwiches. Fabulous!

American Sandwich Bread

Ingredients:

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. salt

1 cup warm whole milk (about 110°)

1/3 cup warm water (about 110°)

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

3 tbsp. honey

1 envelope (about 2 ¼ tsp.) instant yeast

Directions:

Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 200°.Once the oven temperature reaches 200°, maintain the heat for 10 minutes, then turn off the oven.

Mix 3 ½ cups of the flour and the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.Mix the milk, water, butter, honey and yeast in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup.Turn the machine to low and slowly add the liquid.When the dough comes together, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth and satiny, stopping the machine two or three times to scrape dough from the hook, if necessary, about 10 minutes.(After 5 minutes of kneading, if the dough is still sticking to the sides of the bowl, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time and up to ¼ cup total, until the dough is no longer sticky.)Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead to form a smooth, round ball, about 15 seconds.

Place the dough in a very lightly oiled large bowl, rubbing the dough around the bowl to coat lightly.Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the warmed oven until the dough has doubled in size, about 40-50 minutes.

On a floured work surface, gently press the dough into a rectangle 1 inch thick and no longer than 9 inches.With a long side facing you, roll the dough firmly into a cylinder, pressing with your fingers to make sure the dough sticks to itself.Turn the dough seam-side up and pinch it closed.Place the dough seam-side down in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and press it gently so it touches all four sides of the pan.Cover with plastic wrap; set aside in a warm spot until the dough almost doubles in size, 20-30 minutes.

Keep one oven rack at the lowest position and place the other at the middle position and heat the oven to 350°.Place an empty baking pan on the bottom rack.Bring two cups of water to boil in a small saucepan.Pour the boiling water into the empty pan on the bottom rack and set the loaf onto the middle rack.Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted at an angle from the short end just above the pan rim into the center of the loaf reads 195°, 40-50 minutes.Remove the bread from the pan, transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.Slice and serve.

I can’t wait to try this. Can you please tell me, is instant yeast the same as active dry yeast? The only thing I have found in packets is the active dry. Thanks.

Annie

Hi Jessi,
Instant yeast is not the same as active dry yeast. It is also known as rapid rise yeast, and is available wherever you can find active dry yeast. I have bought it in packets many times but now just use a jar because I use it so often. Instant or rapid rise yeast is different than active dry yeast in that it can simply be mixed in with all the dough ingredients rather than needing to sit in the wet ingredients for a period of time as with active dry yeast. Take another look next time you’re at the store, I’m confident you will find it!
:) Annie

Jessi

Well, I feel stupid. I happen to have some rapid rise in the cupboard. I didn’t realize they were the same. Thanks

I’ve had this book marked for a while and tried it yesterday. It made a great loaf of bread. The kids couldn’t get enough! Now to solve my challenge of slicing a loaf of soft bread.

Thanks!

Tammy

Annie….can this recipe be used in a bread machine? If so…in what order should I put the ingredients in the machine?
Thanks…

Leesie

I just made this bread last night and it turned out perfect and it was really easy to make in my book. Thanks so much for this recipe. It’s a keeper ;o)

Lisa

I’m new to bread making. I don’t have the mixer you described. Is that a problem? I also don’t have a machine. How warm of an oven to let rise in? Sorry for the beginner questions. Thanks.

Joy

Do you think it would hurt to substitute buttermilk for the milk? I have some thawed for my usual bread recipe but I want to try this instead!

Annie

Hi Joy,
I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think it would hurt anything. I hope it turns out well!
:) Annie

Jesse

Oh my goodness gracious, this bread is sinfully fantastic!!! I just made my first loaf, and two things are happening: 1, I’m thinking about everything I can do with bread like this (so many options!), and 2, I’m thinking about the next loaf I’m going to be making XD I’m boycotting store bought bread and recommending this stuff to everyone I know :-D
Thank you for re-inventing my sandwich making! LOL.

Hi Annie: I made this bread over the weekend and it lasted a day and a half! My family loved it! I have an in home daycare and my daycare kiddies loved it so much they made me promise to make it again. Thanks so much for your recipes. Your site has become a frequently visited favorite for me.

I made this yesterday and it turned out great, even with active dry yeast. It rose lovely, golden and very tall. Perfect for the grilled cheese sandwiches with caramelized onion that accompanied a summer borscht last night. Great! Thanks for another grand bread recipe. I am also a big fan of your potato rolls.

I made this again this week (and probably will for many many more) but this time substituted 1/3 wheat flour and 2/3 AP flour. It worked just as well as the original recipe, but gives me the feeling that it is a bit healthier. We adore this recipe.

Denise

Annie, I just wanted to tell you I made this bread two weeks ago, and today again because my husband loved it! it really is great for sandwiches. I am from Argentina and my cousin Melanie passed your site on to me and I just loved it. I enjoy cooking very much and am so glad my mum tought me how to. Since I got married four months ago I have been enjoying cooking so much. I´ve tried a few or your recipe´s and they are great. Congratulations on your cooking and lovely family.

Renee

This is the recipe I always use for bread. I got it from the Baking Illustrated cookbook. The only thing I do differently from the original is not use a water bath in the oven. I don’t like a real crisp crust on sandwich bread. I often use it when teaching others how to make bread for the first time. Glad to see it on here so others can enjoy!!!

Sally

Does the honey serve as another purpose other than flavoring? I ask because I’d like to leave it out since I plan on feeding this bread to my 11 month old son.

Annie

It provides nutrition for the yeast as it proofs, as well as sweetness and additional liquid. 3 tablespoons is too much to omit altogether. I know agave nectar is commonly used in place of honey, though I am not aware of whether or not that is an acceptable ingredient for babies. I would definitely find some kind of substitution or just make a different bread.

Sally

Thanks so much for answering my question so fast. I guess I’ll just try your ‘light wheat bread’ recipe instead to be on the safe side. It looks like I can use sugar instead of honey for that recipe. Thanks again!

I just recently gave this recipe a try and the results were fantastic, as are all of your recipes I’ve tried! I am having an issue with the slices drying out and turning stale on me before we have eaten the entire loaf. How do you store your sandwich bread? After it has cooled, do you slice the entire loaf or slice as it’s needed throughout the week? Thank you for your help!

Annie

Homemade bread only stays fresh for a day or two. After baking, I slice the entire loaf and freeze, then just thaw slices as I need them.

Hi Annie! I’ve got a loaf in the oven (again) and realized I never commented. This is a great recipe – thank you for sharing. Have you ever made variations to this by incorporating spices, herbs, cheeses, etc?

Annie

I haven’t but I’m sure you could. Glad you enjoy it!

Letty

I wonder if you can put
melted butter, cinnamon, brown sugar and raisins and turn it into Cinnamon Raisin Bread?

Annie

There is an actual recipe for cinnamon raisin bread on the blog – just use the search bar.

Spoon

From an experienced bread maker to an inexperienced one, any suggestions for someone with an electric oven and only one rack?

In your bread making journey have you done it without the pan of water and what were the results like? Were they satisfactory?

I’m bummed out to not be able to do this to the T and get the perfect results!

Thanks for the help!

Annie

I also bake with an electric oven and have never noticed any negative effects because of it. I use a pan of water with recipes that indicate it and don’t when they do not – basically, I just follow the recipes. Good luck!

susan smith

This is delicious!

Sarah

I’ve been looking for a good sandwich bread recipe for a long time. I make this loaf every week! This is the best bread recipe I’ve ever found. I do, however, have a few notes from my own experience with the dough. I follow the recipe exactly. I find that the rise time and knead time can be a bit long. I usually knead with the stand mixer for about eight minutes. I then let the dough set for about thirty-five minutes, then knead and place in the dough pan for about forty minutes. This gives a nice tall loaf similar to what you would find in commercial sliced bread. Thanks for posting!

Rosemary Miner

I am going to try this in my new bread maker. But I don’t drink milk and wondered if I could substitute mIlk with almond milk?

Annie

Please see the FAQ page.

Jennifer

This was the best recipe I have ever used to make bread I love love love it. I added a bit much liquid but just added more flour and it worked great.

Jessica

My bread looks just like the pic and smells awesome I can’t wait to taste it :D

Cassie

I made this bread the day after Chistmas. This was my first attempt at making fresh bread!! It turned out so good!! I took your advice and sliced it then put it in the freezer, we just pull the slices out as needed it thaws out wonderfully!! Great recipe! I am going to be sure to make this bread a tradition in my home! THANKS!

Famof7

Amazing bread! Thank you. My 5 kids practically fight over this bread. I just found the recipe a week ago and have already made 3 loaves and I have a wheat one rising right now :) Thank You!

Oh my goodness…amazing! We love this recipe. My only question is this…The bottom of our loaf is too soggy (as if it never cooked all the way through). I think I followed all directions to a T, but the bottom didn’t seem to cook enough while the top was getting dark too fast. I know all ovens are different, so it would be hard for you to advise me via the web, but do you think I should try it with out the water boiling underneath next time? What is that meant to do? Thank you so much!!

Anonymous

Hi Jane Marie,
The pan of water on the bottom included in some bread recipes is used to create steam in the oven, affecting the texture of the loaf overall (not the bottom). It sounds to me like you probably just needed to bake it longer period – maybe your oven runs a bit on the cool side. If it still seems like it really is just the bottom that’s too soft and not the inside of the loaf, you could try preheating a baking stone with the oven and setting the baking pan on that to instantly heat the bottom. I hope that helps!

Just FYI, It worked perfectly the second time around! I think the first time I was too timid and kept opening the oven to check on it, etc. Maybe the bottom/center didn’t get cooked as evenly. Second time was the charm. This bread is amazing – I’m going to link to you on my blog. :-) Thanks!

I just made this tonight. I haven’t had a chance to cut into it yet but I have to say, so far I’m impressed. I’ve only been baking my own bread for about 2 weeks and was getting discouraged because I just wasn’t getting the height I wanted but this one looks perfect!

Hanjanius

My first bread triumph! I thought for months that I was “bread-challenged” and had given it up until I saw this recipe. The directions are so clear and easy to follow that I had to give it a shot. I’m so glad I did! Soft texture, excellent flavor! I used brown rice syrup in place of honey because that’s what I had on hand, and also substituted a cup of white flour with wheat. Thanks for the great recipe!

annieseats

Congrats on your first successful loaf of bread. It only gets easier from here!

Emilyfitz

My 17 year old daughter wanted to make bread today. Found your recipe on Pinterest. She is so proud, it turned out lovely. Thank you for putting it out there. We will be trying more of your recipes. Had to kneed it all by hand though, will have to get one of though fancy mixers I quest. I had for gotten how much fun making bread was! Clarice

Jerri

I am loving making this bread! My family and I are loving eating this bread! I have been using soy milk instead of whole milk, with great results.

Urmilar

Hi annie!I so heart your blog! Just a quick question! Baked this yesterday,The texture and flavor was amazing! But the bottom was a little wet(soggy).. What must have happened?
urmila

annieseats

I would guess it needed to bake longer.

Urmila

Hey! Baked these yesterday,halved the recipe,and baked it in 4 mini loaf pans,Cant describe how good they were,just perfect!! If I make the dough,let it proof and then keep it overnight in fridge and proceed in the morning? what will you suggest?
thanks
urmila :)

annieseats

I haven’t tried that. The only way to find out if it works is to experiment. Good luck!

Jocelyn

This bread is absolutely fantastic. I used it for panini sandwiches tonight (roast beef, provolone, and basil pesto), and it held up perfectly. Thank you so much.

Tanya

Wow. I just made this and I can tell it’s going to be impossible to eat regular bread again. I’m a novice bread maker, but this turned out beautifully. Thanks for helping take away my fear of yeast. I can’t wait to make a BLT with this yummy bread.

Sue

I have had his pappen before and it was because I didn’t get them out of the own soon enough. Make sure you transfer to wire racks right away.

April

I made this using buttermilk and it was great. This recipe must be really forgiving because I realized once it was in the oven that I didn’t even use the right amount of flour, I was probably 1/2 cup plus short and it still turned out wonderful. I’ll try to make it with the right amount of flour next time. LOL.

annieseats

Actually spores withstand extreme conditions, which is why they are dangerous.

TheMighty

I’ve been looking for a great sandwich bread recipe and would love to give this a try…except I don’t have a machine (will do all mixing and kneading by hand). Can you advise, please? Thanks so much!

annieseats

No need for a special mixer, hand kneading is fine. Please read the FAQ page for more info. Thanks :)

Kellyd72177

You’re right – the dough is awesome to work with! The bite is perfection, and this recipe reminds me of bread my grandmother used to make – for her 36+ grandkids!!! (yikes!) Thanks for another wonderful recipe. Just wondering though, why you haven’t also included the weight measurements you usually have for recipes in this one?

annieseats

I think only because this is an old post, and was done before I started using weights in baking. If I update the post in the future, I’ll make sure to include them :)

Debbie

I have this in the oven now! I can’t wait to try it! It’s rising so wonderfully!! Thanks for the recipe, Annie!

Sharma Shelton-Conant

This bread is amazing, I love it and so does my family!!! Thank you for sharing!

Rachel

Annie, you have made my eating out embargo easier with your recipes. This bread recipe-the first one I have tried-was a success. Thank you!